Capitol Calling

Former Missouri Republican Party chairwoman Ann Wagner made her 2nd Congressional District bid official Tuesday on the Dana Loesch Show.

Right after she made the announcement, Wagner put out a statement making her bid extra official:

“Today I am making it official. I am a candidate for Congress from my hometown. I have been traveling the district and listening to the people in our district about the strong, effective, conservative leadership we need in the Congress,” Wagner said. “The encouragement and enthusiasm I’ve received to run for Congress has been overwhelming.

Before she went on Loesch’s program, Wagner attended U.S. Rep. Todd Akin’s U.S. Senate announcement in Creve Coeur. She talked about her congressional bid after Akin’s announcement. Click on the audio link to hear some of the Q&A with reporters.

One other note: former state Rep. Joe Smith, R-St. Charles, said in a Tweet he was seriously considering running for Akin’s seat. The reconfigured 2nd District includes portions of St. Charles County.

Smith considered running for the U.S. Ninth District seat in 2008 when U.S. Rep. Kenny Hulshof, R-Columbia, ran for governor. He decided instead to run for re-election. Smith unsuccessfully ran last year for St. Charles Recorder of Deeds.